Ask Dan: Can't you just smell those tomatoes now?

Sunday

Jul 31, 2011 at 2:00 AM

Hey folks, July is almost gone. August awaits with weather unknown, but with the anticipation of the first juicy tomato sandwich of the season, it seems to me it can't get here soon enough. Fill in your garden beds with some fresh summer annuals for a burst of color; it will look a lot better than it does with those old, dried-up ones.

Dan Daly

Hey folks, July is almost gone. August awaits with weather unknown, but with the anticipation of the first juicy tomato sandwich of the season, it seems to me it can't get here soon enough. Fill in your garden beds with some fresh summer annuals for a burst of color; it will look a lot better than it does with those old, dried-up ones.

Q. I have some squash plants that are wilting. I water all the time, but one morning I came out and my squash was all wilted and sad. What do you think happened? — Dave

A. Sounds as if you may have squash vine borer. The sudden wilting of your plant is a distinctive sign of their damage. Squash vine borers are the larvae of a black moth with orangey-red markings. The adult moth lays her eggs on the squash leaves after the eggs hatch; the larvae make their way to the stem of the plant where they bore their way into the bottom 10-12 inches of the stem. You can look for small holes and sawdust-looking frass in the area of the stem close to the ground. The damage from the borers prevents the plant from transporting water and nutrients to the leaves, causing the plant to wilt. It will eventually die if nothing is done.

There are a few things you can do to help with squash vine borer. The larvae usually bore into the stem where it meets the ground. Wrapping some foil or panty hose around this area acts as a barrier. If you do see a vine wilting or notice a hole at the base, it's still possible to save the plant by making a vertical slit into the stem and removing the larvae by hand. The plant will heal. You can cover the wound with moist soil to promote more roots. Preventively, you can pile some moist soil over the leaf joints near the ground. They will root, so even if the stem is damaged, the plant won't die. In the spring, the first mode of attack should be to monitor for eggs. If you can remove the eggs when they appear, you're half-way there. Since squash vine borers over-winter in the soil as larva in cocoons, removing the spent vines after harvesting and tilling the area will destroy any larvae still in the vines. If you give some of these methods a try, you might be able to save your squash.

Q. All my tomato plants are doing well but I am starting to see the bottoms on some turn a dark brown or black color. What gives? — Prestwick

A. Well, it sounds as if you have blossom-end rot.Blossom-end rot is caused by a lack of available calcium when the fruit are forming. The problem is usually temporary and should correct itself. Often the problem has more to do with the moisture levels or excessive fertilizer in the garden. Blossom-end rot is more noticeable after periods of uneven precipitation, such as when hot and dry conditions are followed by periods of heavy rain.

Great ways to combat blossom-end rot are using a slow-release fertilizer that contains calcium, mulching around your plants (I like to use straw), making sure your garden has plenty of organic matter to help maintain even moisture levels and watering your tomatoes as needed during periods of low precipitation. Also, avoid cultivating too closely to the plants, which may encourage blossom-end rot by destroying the tiny feeder roots that grow close to the soil surface and supply moisture and nutrients to the plants.

Don't panic if you see your tomatoes showing signs of blossom-end rot early in the season. Simply remove the fruits that display the sunken rotten bottoms, irrigate to maintain even moisture, and be patient that's usually the most effective control to handle this common problem in the vegetable garden.

Q. Hi, Dan, I love growing sunflowers but I never know how to pick the seeds or when. I would like to save some to grow again next year. — Albert

A. Sunflowers are a wonderful summer flower that tickle the hearts of many gardeners, young and old. Harvesting the seeds of your sunflower just takes patience. Once the petals have dropped off, check the seeds daily. Sunflower seeds ripen around the outer edge first. Try to leave the heads attached to the stalks and let them bend downward letting the color of the back of the head change from green to a yellowish brown. The longer the heads can stay on the plant, the more mature seeds you will harvest.

Tie a paper bag or burlap over the heads to keep our feathered friends from eating too many. Once the seeds are loose and are starting to fall out, cut the heads off and dry them in a well-ventilated area, out of the reach of rodents. To harvest the seeds, wait until the heads are dry and simply place in a brown paper bag. Then run a gloved hand over the seeds to dislodge them. Gather and store in a sealed container. Saving your seeds can be fun, and there are tons of things you can do with them.